Doctors Advance Effective SARS Treatment

Doctors Advance Effective SARS Treatment

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Cure May Be As Close as Your Backyard

An effective treatment for the illness known as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) has been developed by a team of doctors and emerging diseases experts based on a little-known antidote to coronavirus—the agent most scientists say is responsible for the disease.

According Dr. Leonard Horowitz, an internationally known expert in public health and emerging diseases, coronavirus can be most efficiently treated with methanolic extracts of two little known berry bushes common to British Columbia and the northwestern states. Amelanchier alnifolia and Rosa nutkana--both members of the Rosaceae family of plants--were proven in 1995 to completely protect cells grown in experimental cultures from coronavirus attack.

The leaders of the scientific team of coronavirus and Rosaceae plant investigators is the esteemed Canadian botanist, Dr. Neil Towers, Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. It was his research group that pioneered the study that demonstrated the power of the Rosaceae plants to overcome coronavirus infections in cell cultures--a system far more sensitive to toxicity than living organisms.

Dr. Horowitz and Dr. Joseph Puleo, a leading naturopathic physician, a founding member of the World Natural Health Organization, relied upon Dr. Towers's findings to formulate the "Urbani SARS Formula." This, along with reducing lifestyle risks, may stop the mysterious SARS illness from wreaking further havoc, they say.

According to scientific reports, at least three types of viruses have been linked to SARS. A new strain of coronavirus is the lead pathogen. Chinese researchers suspected earlier a Chlamydia-like virus as a secondary culprit. Another suspected agent includes the human Metapneumovirus (HMPV)--a new member of the Paramyxoviridae family that affects mainly elderly and young immunocompromised persons.

"Luckily, all three viruses fall into families known by naturopaths to be effectively treated by four common herbs that all grow wildly in many people's backyards," says Dr. Puleo, director of the formulation team. "Rosaceae herbs [Rosa nutkana and Amelanchier alnifolia] along with Lomatium [dissectum] and Devil's Club [Oplopanax horridus], when mixed with the antimicrobial sugar xylitol, may be a safe and effective weapon against the coronavirus and a wide array of other respiratory pathogens."

"We had Amelanchier alnifolia, better known as Saskatoons, growing in our yard in Massachusetts as well," says Dr. Horowitz. The medical investigator, who is best known for his American bestseller, Emerging Viruses: AIDS & Ebola, Nature, Accident or Intentional? (Tetrahedron Publishing Group, 1998; 1-888-508-4787) believes "Government officials need to stop sending fear messages and start enabling and empowering the public's positive response to SARS." This, he says, can be best accomplished by boosting natural immunity through nutritional and other lifestyle changes. At the same time, other infectious ailments can also be prevented. Dr. Horowitz argues that the "fear, gloom and doom message" surrounding this new respiratory illness may be as harmful to people's immune systems as the virus.

Both doctors refer to Dr. Towers's work with six other leading botanists and medicinal plant investigators published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology [1995, Dec. 1 49(2):101-10]. It was this study upon which they largely based their Urbani SARS Formula--so named in honor of the respected physician, Carlo Urbani, one of the disease's earliest victims. The Italian communicable-disease expert received a Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work with Doctors Without Borders. He died in Thailand after contracting SARS while caring for his patients.

The McCutcheon and Towers, et.al., study of one hundred top antiviral prospects in the plant kingdom showed only two that provided powerful protection against the coronavirus: the Rosaceae herbs A. alnioflia and R. nutkana. A review of this study written by Dr. Horowitz entitled, "Effective Treatment for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS): Two Plants Could Put the SARS Fright to Rest" is available for free here. A copy of the original Journal of Ethnopharmacology report is available for a $30.00 charge from its publisher, Elsevier Science Ireland, Ltd. (http://www.elsevier.nl/inca/publications/store/5/0/6/0/3/5/)

The two plants, according to Dr. Towers and company, "were very active against" coronavirus. In fact, unlike any other plant, not only were these extracts effective against a close relative of the Urbani SARS virus--the bovine coronavirus--but they offered "complete inhibition of virus-induced cytopathic effects."

Lomatium root extract, another botanical highly recommended by Dr. Puleo for treating respiratory ailments, was determined by the Canadian investigators to completely protect cells against invasion by another pathogen, the Rotavirus--a common cause of dysentery. SARS has been linked to the symptoms of dysentery in a significant number of cases. It is not know if this results from a mutated coronavirus infection or not. Lomatium--used as commonly by Native Americans as aspirin for fever is used today--has also proven effective against respiratory ailments including pneumonia, bronchitis, and Tuberculosis.

Dr. Puleo initially teamed up with Dr. Horowitz in 1998 to produce an extraordinary book titled Healing Codes for the Biological Apocalypse (Tetrahedron Publishing Group; 1-888-508-4787) in which the electromagnetic frequencies of the ancient Solfeggio musical scale was deciphered from Bible codes. This work had a global impact in the realm of "energy medicine" involving electromagnetic therapies and genetic bioacoustics for healing. Dr. Puleo's work inspired Dr. Horowitz to write Healing Celebrations: Miraculous Recoveries Through Ancient Scripture, Natural Medicine and Modern Science in 2000. This book prescribes practical immune enhancement activities as the most powerful human defense against the emerging viruses, and dispels myths about DNA undermining its recognition as principally a "life energy antennae." The authors' combined work revolutionized the way in which herbal formulas are now being made more potent, homeopathically and in tinctures, by tens of thousands of alternative healthcare practitioners worldwide.

Though the doctors' quickly admit their inability to make "cure" claims due to variations between individuals (and by order of the Food and Drug Administration, FDA) the ingredients in the Urbani SARS Formula are time tested, inexpensive, readily available, and well proven against the bovine coronavirus and other respiratory pathogens. "Obviously, not something those who exclusively endorse costly and risky drugs and anti-virals, like Ribaviron, wish to openly acknowledge or endorse," Dr. Horowitz says.

Ingredients in the "Urbani SARS Formula"

Dr. Puleo, who directs the Natural Health Research clinic near Sandpoint, Idaho, originally developed a similar formula for several patients who presented in late March with SARS-like symptoms. The patients improved rapidly from a combination of Lomatium, Devil's Club, and xylitol--essentially a standard naturopathic remedy for respiratory infections. Dr. Horowitz, after reviewing the British Columbian study on the efficacy of medicinal plants, led by Dr. Towers, suggested the incorporation of the two Rosaceae plant extracts.

Here's the low down on the contents of the doctors' final Urbani SARS Formula.

Lomatium dissectum root extract

This certified organic-wildcrafted Lomatium dissectum root is derived from the dried plants cut fresh in season. It is indigenous to nine Western states, primarily those of the Great Basin and Rocky Mountain region, especially Montana. Here the species is referred to by the names Biscuitroot, Mountain Parsley, Western Wild Parsley, and Fern-Leaved Lomatium.

It has been known for centuries to have potent anti-microbial uses. It has also received much attention as an immuno-stimulant. It was used by North American Natives as a food, and medicine to treat Tuberculosis and other lung infections. Medical physicians and pharmacists routinely prescribed it as a broad spectrum anti-microbial herb prior to the introduction of vaccines and modern allopathic drugs. According to Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West by Michael Moore and The Eco-Herbalists Fieldbook by Gregory Tilford, research confirms that Lomatium, was able to kill nearly every microbe it was tested against. It has also been used very effectively against bronchitis, pneumonia and other diseases of the respiratory tract. Besides its widespread use against respiratory pathogens, Lomatium has been used externally to treat infected skin wounds.

Lomatium contains a variety of essential oils, gums, resins, and resinoids, antimicrobial tetronic acids, luteolin, coumarin glycosides, including columbianin, luvangetin, and at least one furanocoumarin.

Lomatium's observed arrest of viral replication is believed to be associated with the penetration and destruction of the microbes' outer protein coats. This has been seen with respiratory pathogens, in particular, lending credence to the plant's observed effectiveness against viral infections that are associated with common colds and the flu.

As mentioned above, Drs. McCutcheon and Towers et. al., determined Lomatium dissectum provided the only plant extract that could claim "complete inhibition of virus-induced cytopathic effects" while defending against Rotavirus.

Devil's Club is has become increasingly popular in recent years as a member of the ginseng family of plants. It contains the essential oil balsamic which distinguishes it from Siberian ginseng and Panax (American) ginseng. This Pacific Northwest native should not be confused with Devil's Claw, which grows in southern Africa.

Devil's Club is best known as an immune-boosting "adaptogen," that mitigates the effect of stress throughout the body. It also functions as an expectorant (and mucous secretion stimulator) when prescribed for respiratory infections.

According to nationally known herbalist Michael Altman, Native Americans have long used the Devil's Club root to help heal insulin-resistant type II diabetes. "Its hypoglycemic effect was confirmed over fifty years ago, and some people report a significant reduction in need for injected insulin while using Devil's Club. When using Devil's Club to address diabetes, it should be combined with other herbs, proper diet, and exercise."

This is largely the treatment plan recommended by Dr. Puleo for his patients who recovered from SARS-like illnesses, and by Dr. Horowitz in his book, Healing Celebrations: Miraculous Recoveries Through Ancient Scripture, Natural Medicine and Modern Science Dr. Puleo explains that most SARS victims, have ongoing blood sugar and immune-suppressive problems that give viral infections the edge over natural immunity--another reason Devil's Club was placed in the "SARS, Flu and Pneumonia Formula."

The Devil's Club root contains essential oils that include nerolidol, torreyol, dodinene, bulnesol, dodecenol, cadenene, and cedrol (among others). It also contains varied and unspecified araliasides and panaxosides.

One word of caution for those prone to pick their own Devil's Club in the field, the plants are very spiny and dangerous to handle. So if you pick your own, use extreme caution!

Once harvested, these plants may be boiled to extract their therapeutic ingredients.

Saskatoons thrive throughout America's Great Northwest, although Dr. Horowitz reports picking these berries during the summer with his children in New England as well. This shrub, sometimes as large as a tree, favors open to lightly shaded areas such as thickets, fence rows, clearings and edges of woods. A well-drained soil is essential for the plant's growth.

Saskatoon berries are a blueberry-like delicious fruit. The can be gathered and dried for winter consumption, or cooked to a jam-like consistency. Many people simply eat these berries off the bush, or bake them in tasty pies. You can buy Saskatoon bushes specially bred for the home garden. These varieties produce bigger and sweeter fruit than most wild bushes. In the prairies Saskatoon plantations yield the raw material for a regional specialty, Saskatoon wine.

Little is written about the medicinal qualities of Saskatoon plants. It is only known that Native North Americans used its bark to make a drink for stomach problems, for maternal recovery following childbirth, and to make a contraceptive. In 1995 AR McCutcheon, TE Roberts, E Gibbons, and other investigators, determined that extracts made from Rosa nutkana and Amelanchier alnifolia, both members of the Rosaceae family were very active against coronaviruses isolated from the human gut and cultured for medicinal testing.

Xylitol is a relatively new weapon in our war against infectious diseases. Discovered in the late 19^th century, this naturally-occurring five-carbon sugar (xylose) remained largely unappreciated before the sugar shortages of World War II. It was then that the Finns discovered it as a therapeutic sugar substitute.

Xylitol looks and tastes just like normal table sugar. It is naturally formed in many fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, plums and corn. Xylitol is even produced in small amounts in the human body. The main source of xylitol, for commercial usage, is birch bark and corn.

Research has proven xylitol to be more than a sweetner. It can also be a powerful nutritional supplement for infection prevention. Here's how it works: Generally, infectious agents' bacteria and viruses enter the body and attach themselves to cells. This "attachment apparatus" is required for the microbes to do their dirty work, which in many cases kills the healthy cells under attack. Xylitol acts like a natural cell membrane protector and lubricant that causes these foreign invaders to lose their grip. Rather than invading and harming the interior of your host cells bacteria and viruses are simply repelled. This effectively reduces the pathogenicity of invading microbes. Add to this the fact that bacteria ingest xylitol, but cannot break it down. It, thus, intoxicates them but not you so your immune system remains strong while germ strength is reduced. Also, since it is made naturally by your body in small amounts, xylitol lacks the problems often associated with antibiotics, including the induction of mutating strains. Bacteria do not develop a resistance to xylitol like they do with antibiotics.

Unlike white table sugars (sucrose and glucose) which have proven harmful in many ways, xylitol has proven healthful in many ways. It has been shown to help prevent upper respiratory invasions, including sinus and ear infections, and it is commonly used to prevent tooth decay. It actually reduces bacterial plaque buildup around the teeth and gums, neutralizes toxic plaque acids, prevents tooth decay, helps to reduce bad breath and dry mouth, and even helps heal cavities by clearing the way for tooth enamel, that was lost during tooth decay, for salivary remineralization.

Researchers in Finland determined that by consuming only 8 grams of xylitol--a little more than a teaspoon full--daily prevented nearly 40% of ear infections in children. They found that a 5% solution of xylitol reduced 68% of Strep. and Pneumonia bacteria attachments, and 50% of flu viruses were rejected from cells as well. As a result of this research, and xylitol widespread use in Finland, the Finnish government has saved millions of dollars in its health programs.

Doctors Horowitz and Puleo are not shy about defending alternative medical practices that some critics call "fringe." They remind us that critics, likewise, contended the world was flat before it was proven otherwise. As experts in the field energy medicine, as detailed in their books Healing Codes for the Biological Apocalypse, and Healing Celebrations: Miraculous Recoveries Through Ancient Scripture, Natural Medicine and Modern Science, doctors Puleo and Horowitz share their insights on love and spirituality. They insist that plant extracts resonate similarly through an energy specter that may be employed, using specific electromagnetic and bioacoustic Hertz frequencies, for healing.

Much of the doctors' work over the years has been in the domain of identifying specific electromagnetic frequencies of sound, color, harmonic vibrations, and invisible light to affect physical outcomes from this "more spiritual" domain or unseen dimensions. They have applied this knowledge also in the development of the Urbani SARS Formula to enhance the product's power, they claim.

Manufacturer and distributor inquiries are now being welcomed by Mr. John Mills, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for World Natural Cures, LLC--the company granted distribution rights for the Urbani SARS Formula. Mr. Mills can be contacted by calling 1-603-899-6789; e-mail: marshamills@prodigy.net.

The Urbani SARS Formula comes in three easy to use forms for children and adults: 1) The Extra Strength Tincture containing Lomatium and Devil's Club, and 2) The Standard Urbani SARS Formula with A. Alnifolia and R. nutkana, or 3) The Extra Strength Homeopathic. All are prescribed the same way: "Apply 9 drops under the tongue 3 times per day for up to 9 days." Because the formulas are non-toxic in these amounts, it is not critical to reduce the dose for older children. The homeopathic remedy is especially recommended for young children and infants.

The cost for the two ounce bottle of the Extra Strength Urbani SARS Formula is $69.47. The Standard Formula is priced at $34.55, while the Homeopathic is $24.65.

The products can be ordered over the Internet through www.HealthyWorldDistributing.com or by calling toll free at 1-888-508-4787.

Additional lifestyle and immune-boosting recommendations provided courtesy of Dr. Horowitz are available from www.healingcelebrations.com.